Westmorland and Furness Council has launched the next stage of its work to promote fairness across the area, with the start of Phase 2 of its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.
The new plan, which runs from April 2026 to March 2028, has been approved by the council’s Cabinet and sets out what the council will focus on next to make services more welcoming, accessible and fair for everyone.
Phase 2 builds on the progress made since the council introduced its first EDI statement, equality objectives and action plan in 2024. This next phase puts more emphasis on focusing effort where it is most needed, using evidence and feedback to guide action.
Key priorities include:
- Creating a council-wide Race Equity Action Plan and a separate Accessibility Action Plan, so work in these areas can be more focused and effective.
- More targeted support for armed forces families, people with care experience and residents who face extra challenges because they live in rural areas or are on low incomes.
- Continuing to improve council buildings and online services to make them easier to access.
- Working more closely with community groups and partners to better understand local needs and experiences.
These priorities reflect what the council has learned from data, community feedback and conversations with partners, as well as the real-life challenges of serving a large and geographically varied area like Westmorland and Furness.
Alongside plans for the future, the council has already made a number of practical improvements. These include making information clearer and easier to understand, improving the council website, carrying out accessibility checks in council buildings, making recruitment more inclusive and strengthening partnerships. The council has also achieved Disability Confident Leader status and has had its Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award revalidated.
While meeting equality laws is a legal requirement, Phase 2 of the EDI Action Plan goes further by making inclusion part of everyday work and focusing on actions that make a real difference to people’s lives.
Councillor Helen Chaffey, Cabinet Member for Communities, Customer Services, Culture and Communications, said:
“Phase 2 builds on the strong foundations we’ve already put in place and helps us take this work further.
“It focuses on clear, practical actions that remove barriers, reflect people’s real experiences and make sure equality, diversity and inclusion are part of everything we do. Our aim is for every resident and every colleague to feel valued, listened to and able to thrive in Westmorland and Furness.”
The full Phase 2 EDI Action Plan is available on the council’s website.